Enclosed rotary industrial air compressor



Nov. 10, 1964 F. PAUGH ENCLOSED ROTARY INDUSTRIAL AIR COMPRESSOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. '7, 1962 INVENTOR FEE D PAUG'H BY MAHONE Y, MILLER 8 RAMBO ATTORNEYS Nov. 10, 1964 F. PAUGH 3, 0

ENCLOSED ROTARY INDUSTRIAL AIR COMPRESSOR Filed Aug. 7, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR FRED PAUGH BY MAHONE' Y, MILLER 8 RAMBO ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,156,409 ENCLOSED ROTARY INDUSTRIAL AIR COMPRESSOR Fred Paugh, Maywood, Califi, assignor to The .l'aeger lglfiiichine Company, Columbus, Ohio, a corporation of Filed Aug. 7, 1962, Ser. No. 215,390 6 Claims. (Cl. 230-211) This invention relates to an enclosed rotary industrial air compressor. It relates specifically to a rotary type air compressor unit which is particularly suitable for industrial use where it can be set in place without any mounting or hold-down arrangement, requiring only electrical connections. It is of such a nature that it can be moved readily at any time.

According to this invention, all the operating members of the compressor unit are disposed within an enclosure or housing. These operating members include the compressor itself, which preferably is of the rotary multistage type; an electric driving motor for driving the compressor disposed adjacent thereto and coupled thereto; a compressor oil cooler; and a blower for supplying cooling air to all of the operating members. The blower is driven by an independent electric motor which gives more flexibility in its location relative to the compressor to make it most efiective than if it was driven by the compressor drive motor. The enclosure is substantially airtight except at an air filter associated with the blower, where filtered cooling air is drawn into the enclosure through an adjacent inlet, and at the compressor oil cooler, through which the air circulated by the blower is passed and is then discharged through an adjacent outlet to the atmosphere. The blower is so arranged relative to the compressor drive motor that filtered cooling air is discharged directly thereon which permits of the use of a more economical horsepower motor. Thecooling air, after passing over the compressor drive motor, is directed over the compressor member itself exerting a cooling action thereon and eventually is directed through the oil cooler and finally discharged from the enclosure into the atmosphere. Since only clean filtered air is used as cooling air, all the operating members of the compressor unit remain clean, even in such dirty locations as foundries, rubber plants, etc. Thus, dust build-up is prevented which build-up would reduce considerably the emciency of the compressor. The blower is so arranged in the enclosure and the cooling air inlet area and outlet area are in such proportion that even though the filtered inlet associated therewith and the discharge outlet at the oil cooler are provided, there is a moderate buildup of pressure in the enclosure which, in effect, provides for supercharging of the air taken into the compressor from within the enclosure. The enclosure, in addition, is preferably acoustically insulated to reduce transmis sion of noise exteriorly thereof to a minimum.

The preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FTGURE 1 is a perspective View of the compressor unit with access panels of the enclosure or housing removed to show various members of the unit.

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken from the position indicated at line 33 of FIGURE 1.

With reference to the drawings, this invention is shown as comprising a base or frame 11 which carries an enclosure 11. This enclosure has various access openings 12 which are closed by associated removable panels be referred to hereinafter. The enclosure is of substan- 3,l56,4@9 Patented Nov. 10, 1964 tially rectangular form in longitudinal cross section. It may be fabricated from suitable metal plates and associated braces or other suitable material. The exterior walls and removable panels are preferably lined with sound insulating material 14. The base plate 15 of the enclosure is substantially imperforate except for openings for mounting screws or bolts which are used to fasten operating members thereto.

Within the enclosure 11, the operating members of the unit are arranged for maximum efficiency. These operating members include a compressor 16, a drive motor 17, a blower 18, and an oil cooler 19.

The compressor 16 may be of any suitable type but is preferably of the rotary multi-stage type. This compressor is located at the lower left-hand corner of the enclosure, as indicated in FIGURE 3. It is coupled by a suitable drive coupling 20 to the motor 17 which is preferably of an electric type. This motor 17 is located on the base plate 15 at the lower right-hand corner of the enclosure. Directly above the motor 17 in a chamber 21 at the upper right-hand corner of the enclosure is the blower 13. The space 21 is provided by the walls of the enclosure 11 along with which a partition 22 cooperates. This partition is provided with an opening 23 through which the blower 18 discharges downwardly. The blower 18 may be of any suitable type and is driven by a separate electric motor 24.

Adjacent the blower 18, preferably in the side wall or walls of the enclosure, is an inlet opening or a plurality of openings for the cooling air. The opening or openings are covered by a removable air filter or filters 25. The blower will, therefore, draw filtered air inwardly and discharge it downwardly onto the motor 17. This air will be directed upwardly by the curved portion or the partition 22 and by a cooperating upwardly curved baflle 26 at the base plate 15. This bafile 26 is located between the compressor drive motor 17 and the compressor 16. Consequently, cooling air will be directed upwardly over the compressor and eventually over the oil cooler 19. This cooler 19 is connected in the usual manner to the compressor 16 and embodies fin-carrying tubes 27 arranged to permit the passage of air upwardly therethrough. In the upper wall of the enclosure is an air outlet 28 and the cooler 19 is in effect in this outlet.

Outside of the enclosure 11 at one end thereof, other equipment forming part of the compressor 16 may be located. This equipment may include the oil tank 29, the air receiver 3i), and the oil separator 31, all connected to operate with the compressor in the usual manner.

It will be apparent that air will be drawn into the enclosure 11 by the blower 18, will be discharged downwardly over the compressor drive motor 17, will be directed horizontally from the motor 17 and upwardly over the compressor 16, will then be directed through the cooler 19, and finally wfll pass out through the outlet 28. Thus, only clean filtered air is used to cool the various members and this air is directed over the motor 17 so as to keep the motor cooland reduce the horsepower required of a suitable motor to drive the compressor. Since the air is clean, no dust build-up will occur on the various operating members and, consequently, they will operate more efficiently. The blower motor 24, being independent of the compressor drive motor 17, can be more e-ffi ciently located and it will also be cooled by air entering through the filters 25. Furthermore, the compressor 16 and associated oil cooler 19 are located so that they receive the maximum cooling effect of the air circulated within the enclosure 11. This circulating air will keep the interior of the enclosure at a temperature which is only 7 outlet openings are in such proportion relatively that there will be a moderate build-up of pressure within the enclosure 11 which will provide for supercharging of the air taken into the compressor from within the enclosure.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, the principles of this invention have been explained and have been illustrated and described in what is now considered to represent the best embodiment. However, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed 1. A compressor unit comprising an enclosure, a compressor within the enclosure, a driving motor for the compressor, adjacent to it within the enclosure and coupled to it, said compressor having an inlet for drav ing air to be compressed from within the enclosure, an independently driven blower disposed to force cooling air over the motor and the compressor, said enclosure having an inlet area through which the blower draws the cooling air, and an oil cooler in cooperation with the compressor, said enclosure having an air outlet area adjacent the oil cooler so that the cooling air will pass into association with said cooler and out of said enclosure through said outlet.

2. A compressor unit comprising a substantially airtight enclosure which is of substantially rectangular, longitudinal cross section, a compressor at one of the lower corners of the enclosure and a driving motor at the other lower corner of the enclosure coupled to the compressor, said compressor having an inlet for drawing air to be compressed from within the enclosure, an independently driven blower at one of the upper corners of the enclosure directly above the driving motor and discharging directly downwardly onto said motor, said enclosure having a filtered air inlet adg'acent said blower so that the blower can draw cooling air into the enclosure, and an oil cooler for the compressor located directly above the compressor in the other upper corner of the compressor, said enclosure having an outlet adjacent the oil cooler through which cooling air is discharged from the enclosure after it passes through said cooler.

3. A compressor unit according to claim 2 in which the oil cooler is in the outlet of the compressor enclosure.

4. A compressor unit according to claim 2 in which the compressor is of the rnulti-stage rotary type, said blower being driven by an electric motor independent of the compressor drive motor, and said latter motor also being an electric motor.

5. A compressor unit according to claim 2 including means between the compressor drive motor and the compressor for directing the cooling air discharged on said motor by the blower upwardly into association with the compressor and eventually into association and outwardly through the cooler and associated outlet.

6. A compressor unit according to claim 1 in which the enclosure inlet and outlet areas are in such relative proportion that when the blower operates there is a pressure differential inside of the enclosure so as to supercharge the air taken into the compressor from within the enclosure.

References tilted by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,134,936 11/38 Getchell 2302ll X 2,630,691 3/53 Harris l65l22 X 2,974,500 3/61 Sholtes 62428 LAURENCE V. EFNER, Primary Examiner.

JOSEPH H. BRANSON, IR., Examiner. 

1. A COMPRESSOR UNIT COMPRISING AN ENCLOSURE, A COMPRESSOR WITHIN THE ENCLOSURE, A DRIVING MOTOR FOR THE COMPRESSOR, ADJACENT TO IT WITHIN THE ENCLOSURE AND COUPLED TO IT, SAID COMPRESSOR HAVING AN INLET FOR DRAWING AIR TO BE COMPRESSED FROM WITHIN THE ENCLOSURE, AN INDEPENDENTLY DRIVEN BLOWER DISPOSED TO FORCE COOLING AIR OVER THE MOTOR AND THE COMPRESSOR, SAID ENCLOSURE HAVING AN INLET AREA THROUGH WHICH THE BLOWER DRAWS THE COOLING AIR, AND AN OIL COOLER IN COOPERATION WITH THE COMPRESSOR, SAID ENCLOSURE HAVING AN AIR OUTLET AREA AD- 